Victoria AdolphusImagine being able to see deep into the brain, capturing neural activity with unprecedented clarity and scale. Thanks to a groundbreaking new microscope called DEEPscope, developed by researchers at Cornell, this is now a reality.
DEEPscope: A Game-Changer in Brain Imaging
Traditional multiphoton microscopy has limitations when it comes to imaging depth and field of view, especially in highly scattering biological tissues like the brain. DEEPscope addresses these constraints by integrating a suite of novel techniques, allowing researchers to visualize extensive brain regions at unprecedented depths.
How DEEPscope Works
DEEPscope’s adaptive excitation system and multi-focus polygon scanning scheme enable efficient fluorescence generation for large field-of-view imaging. This innovation makes it possible to achieve high-resolution imaging across a 3.23 x 3.23-mm2 field with imaging speed that is sufficient for capturing neuronal activity in the deepest cortical layers of mouse brains.
Breakthroughs in Neuroscience
In their study, the researchers demonstrated DEEPscope’s capability to image entire cortical columns and subcortical structures with single-cell resolution. They successfully recorded neuronal activities in deep brain regions of transgenic mice, observing over 4,500 neurons in both shallow and deep cortical layers.
Implications and Future Directions
“DEEPscope represents a significant advancement in brain imaging technology,” said Aaron Mok, the study’s lead author. “For the first time, we can visualize complex neural circuits in living animals at such a large scale and depth, providing insights into brain function and potentially opening new avenues for neurological research.”
By overcoming previous limitations, DEEPscope sets a new standard for large-field, high-resolution, deep imaging of living tissues, promising to advance our understanding of the brain’s intricate networks and their role in health and disease.
